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March 31, 2008
I wanna grow something wild and unruly
the RIDICULOUS amount of people around Wrigley this morning (3-4 hours before the game) while i was trying to get around.
i am not a fan of baseball season. but i am a fan of spring/summer/fall, so alas, i do not let baseball drag me down.
i am at a loss of trying to deal with our neighbors downstairs. They are so loud. And do not keep it down when asked. There is some chick yelling down there. It is like in our apartment. Ah, condo living. One accepts a certain amount of shared noise, but one does not expect to pay $400,000+ for a condo and feel like one is living in a dorm. earlier they were pretending they were a coffeehouse and had some due playing guitar and singing very loud with people clapping after. so strange.
thankfully it doesn't bother aiden, or I would be down there putting my foot down. life and let live, unless you are preventing sleep.
i want land.
or at least, not to live on top of someone.
our new couch is coming tomorrow. i had some very nice, though sketchy people come take our old one away. I got a wide range of quotes, they were by far the lowest, so i paid then a bit above because they came today.
the dog is very freaked out without the couch to sit on. She is incapable of laying down on the floor. she is really tired, so my lap is be commandeered for the sleeping. Thankfully, ben's wii baseball game from my sister and mom requires him to stand up, so he is not missing the couch.
my paper FINALLY PRAISE THE LORD ON HIGH got accepted accepted. i for sure thought it would going to come back b/c some of the reviewers comments were so out there we had to say, no, we aren't going to do that.
Posted by christina at 8:02 PM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2008
hello springs of hot. i've missed you.
view from outside the "spa" today. i have been bad about taking pictures of the beauty of hot springs. i have no excuse.
the forecast in chicago calls for 2 inches of snow.
it was 80 degrees today in hot springs.
vacation is bliss. what, you say, you are always on vacation. not so, i counter. here is is warm - flip-flop and tanks tops warm. here there are lots of people to entertain the kid - i run whether ben is up or not. he it is beautiful - blue skies that make the lake glitter. here there is sonic - we go everyday. here there is little traffic - it is very quick to get to sonic.
the days have slipped by like warm water. i run around the neighborhood. my turn around is the glittering lake. Monday morning I saw a crane! This morning i saw a guy drift by fishing. We hang out. We play Wii. The kid naps - lots of time in his crib! sometimes in ben's lap. Wednesday we went into the big LR to get Jenny C from the airport. We had ribs. We got to see Jenny the sista's casa. (Very nice!)
The dog has warn herself out from chasing my parent's dog and running around the backyard. She likes to chew on pine cones.
Today we got mexican for lunch from my all time favorite mexican place. i've never been there for lunch, but was surprised to find that all but one dish on the lunch menu was under $5!! Sometimes until 4! I didn't think that was possible anywhere, and i come from cheap thai world. Jenny C, Rachel, and I got massages this afternoon. My usual place has closed, so we found a random place on the internet - nurture day spa. It was the best massage i've ever received - and i have received many! I love when the spend some time on the head and face. And not talk to me.
I boxed on the Wii today. It was a workout! Ha ha ha. Not really, but my arms were tired by the end.
Tomorrow we give blood.
Posted by christina at 9:24 PM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2008
So I can't resist blogging from the road. We are on our way to Arkansas for spring break. We left four inches of snow in Chicago. Spring my ass. This winter has been sooo snowy! I am excited to be head down to temps I have not experienced since October.
It was dicey get out of Chicago this morning at sox. First I had to wait for the bagel place to open. Then the roads were not that clear and we had a small spin out try to get on lakeshore drive. We made it through the snow and yucky pads. Here downstate everything is clear, and we a trucking right along. With ben's stupid
music, but hey at least it isn't basketball!
Posted by christina at 8:17 AM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2008
babies get up early
According to the NY Time article I shared on the right, only 11% of women breastfeed exclusively for 6 months. I wonder what the percentage is of women who breastfeed and supplement. I breastfeed exclusively. I have never given Aiden formula, but I wouldn't hesitate to do so once breastfeeding was well established. Sometimes you just have to be somewhere. And pumping is annoying. Really annoying. I have lots of respect for those that do it long term. I know I would have, but taking this year off has made it a moot point. In fact, the ability to breastfeed easily has make me be really glad that I took this year off.
So Ben has had the best birthday ever even before it is his birthday (the 24th). His best birthday has focused on getting two electronic toys that make us the very definition of yuppies. But i love them too. His parents got us iPhones for both our respective birthdays. It is awesome, though not helping my internet addiction. It is really really awesome. I love being able to take pictures. I love the way it view pictures. Now people won't think i am a bad mother for not having pics of Aiden out and about with me. Everything syncs so nicely with Mr. iBook. I can use the internet IN THE CAR. Really. it is ridiculous. but awesome.
I also got Ben a Wii for his birthday. He has really been wanting one, and we have really enjoyed Jenny's when she brings it over. Plus, ben has the next two weeks off for spring break. and soon enough June is going to come and we are going to have two months of joyous time being together and sitting around. (I've decided not to do anything this summer so we can travel. b/c really, i'm going to have a real job for the rest for my life, so why not take advantage of the time now?)
Turn out, the Wiis, STILL HARD TO GET. I thought it would be annoying to get, but doable. NOPE. I asked around last week, thankfully the dude at target was able to tell me that they were getting a shipment for sunday morning, and Jenny and Rachel were awesome enough to get up and and be there for the door opening. She said it was like Christmas, all the people! CRAZY. I've been so excited about, that it is a good thing it has been at rachel's or i would have given it to him on Monday!
Ben was VERY SURPRISED. I forsee a bunch of games of tennis and baseball for him. He has to get his Mii up to the levels of the Mii on Jenny's Wii. And i am totally going to get DDR.
Posted by christina at 6:21 AM | Comments (0)
March 17, 2008
hey, hey, what's going on...
so try number two at jogging stroller went bust. I misjudged the effect of the wind off the lake, and so aiden got cold and really upset. I turned around at the half-way bridge. He didn't make it far, even with the wind not in his face. I had to get him out and carry him to my sister's on my hip. She, thankfully, is on spring break and lives very close to the lake, so it was easy to get him there. It took a while of nursing to calm him down, but once I got him warm he was very happy. So happy I left him with Rachel and Jenny to complete the lake portion of my run.
He was fine on the run from Rachel's to home. He went right to sleep. So i think i am just going to hold on until after spring break to try again. As long as it is warmer. And the wind is not so biting. I was just so excited to try the stroller out now with air in the tires! Turn out, much easier to handle with full tires!
So I like to give Ben a hard time about never moving more than 10 miles from his childhood home, but it does have some advantages. Of course, there are his parents being around for babysitting and such. But they also have already found those things that take a while to find - a good mechanic, a good dentist. They also know people who can give good recommendations for things. Through Ben's dad we got a good recommendation for a great buyers agent for our area. Though we did not end up buying a place during the new place hunt of 07, we were able to pass along the recommendation to Jenny, who is condo hunting up where this week. Her original agent was bad. We figured this out on Sunday when they came over after looking at places and I knew more about the process from my HGTV watching than he had told them. Who said TV watching wasn't good for something....
Yesterday I did both our federal and state taxes. Yay for computer programs. Some of our investments make it a little tricky, but it was so easy with the program. We get a pretty sizable rebate. With two dependents on Ben's teacher salary, we have a low effective tax rate.
Posted by christina at 4:22 PM | Comments (0)
March 12, 2008
secert agent man
Some people like to spend money shopping. I like to spend money by donating to worthy causes, and sending people food. We did not give to NPR this year, so I have enjoyed donating that to other causes. I also decided that if someone is going to receive a very nice birthday present from his very nice parents, that we can donate some more in honor of his birthday!
At least I am not one of those SAHMs who spending all their money on clothes. or booze. or drugs.
Today was very exciting, as it was the first day since Aiden turned 6 months old that i felt it was warm enough to take him out in the jogging stroller. Besides a major need for air in the tires, it was awesome. Well, Aiden was not that impressed for the first half. I suspected it was going to be rocky as it was the first time he's been in a wheeled apparatus not in the infant seat, therefore facing forward. This inability to see me did not sit well. Plus, the sun is still pretty low in the horizon, so as I ran south, i had to drape the stroller with blankets to keep the sun out. I think he wanted to see out. OR SOMETHING b/c i had to listen to a lot of grumbling for the first 2.5 miles. I kept having to stop and assure him everything was okay and try to get him interested in the brand new toy! I also fidgeted with the angle of the seat. It was a bunch of trial and error.
At my turn around spot, I got him out. We looked at the lake and the cars and decided that everything was okay. Since I was now going north, the sun was at our back, so I could retract the blankets and sunshade. He was content looking at the other runners, the dogs, the water until he fell asleep.
Tuesday we ventured out to our first "playgroup". Our awesome Whole Foods has a playgroup that mets every other week. I went this week as there was a pediatrician there to talk about nutrition and stuff. I learned it is hard to have someone speak with 13 kids ranging from 4 months to 2+ years. I also went because Aiden has seemed quite interested in other kids. He was. For the first 15 minutes it was all smiles and wide eyes. The next 30 was trying to eat my yummy food. (Oh best thing about the WF play group - WF food!) He got a little tried, but still enjoyed sitting and standing by the other 6 month old. The speaker wasn't that great. She was good, but just reminded me that everyone has different opinions about stuff, even doctors. I met a couple of other moms. One, i think from her accent, from england. She has a 5 month old. Big ears. Very cute. I'll go back, mainly b/c I like the WF chick who puts them on (the mom of the 6 month old). Plus WF refreshments! So yummy! And aiden really liked the other kids.
I am also going to going to try the playgroup at our hippie babystore. I was surprised at the feeling at the WF group that people were not nursing very long (at least compared to me and Tera). So i think that I'll enjoy that hippie vibe on nursing.
Posted by christina at 8:26 PM | Comments (0)
March 9, 2008
Grapefruit / Bathing suit / Chew a little Juicy Fruit / Wash away the night
loving the kitty
It should be warmer if the clocks are going to change. Though today it was in the 20s this morning, so I ran. It was actually great. I dread going out, but it was a great run.
I love love love love my OB/GYN. We were chatting at my appt this week like friends. I found out all about her family - her husband is a tramua sergon at Cook County Hospital! She has two kids. They have a live in nanny due to the possibility of them both being called out. They met on a blind date! She was very impressed that Ben was going to be staying home with our offspring once I get done squeezing them out and get a job.
She also assured me that a lot of people do not lse weight with breastfeeding. It took her a year to lose her baby weight after her first. That it is hard because you don't want to cut calories because you don't want to endanger your milk supply, and one's body holds on to the weight to feed the kid. She has a similar experience to me - dropping about half the weigh very quickly and then not a pound. This came up as i was complaining that i am jogging 5 miles 5xs a week and not eating that much more (certainly not 1000 cals more) and not loosing anything. So it goes. I finally got some more jeans that i love and some cute shirts that fit.
I am being forced to change cell phone plans, which means I have to get a new phone. I wish i could just use my old phone with the new carrier. I've had spr_int for a long time. I've actually been quite happy with them. My phone works great in my apt. I fear that that will not be true with the new carrier. I guess if i really cared i'd let ben go off and make the change, and I can stay with sprint. It doesn't make sense as the family plans are a lot cheaper than two single plans. And of course, saving money always moves me.
I was just looking at some pictures of Aiden when he was very young. I remember back them then so surprised when people told me that he wouldn't sit until after 6 months, walk until after a year, talk until after that... At that point, I could not imagine that much time passing. Of course, it has passed quite fast. I am surprised with it is already friday. My days pass sweetly with little fanfare. But Aiden is growing. I don't notice as I am too close. But he is sitting. He is trying to crawl. He tries to talk on my cell phone. He drinks from a glass. He is so interactive it is crazy. He parrots everything we do!
Posted by christina at 9:37 PM | Comments (0)
March 6, 2008
C is for cookie
Posted by christina at 3:12 PM | Comments (0)
March 3, 2008
odds and ends
- oh, mr. google, how i forget your power. I'm not sure how I forget, as I have found pretty much anything on the internets. I always write here thinking a very small amount of my friends/family read this. I forgot how mr. google can make that audience a lot larger. I wrote about Hayley as I wanted to share my sadness, and I wanted her to be remembered in this space. How hard she fought. How sad it is that she is gone. If you google "her name", this is the first page on the list (!). I fretted as I have no idea what her actual family would want out there in the ether, but I feel that it is a good thing as it provoked the one comment about what an amazing person she was from a stranger to me.
- We took Aiden for his 6 month check-up last week. He is 15.5 lbs and 27.5 inches. Tall and skinny! I love love love our new pediatrician. She is awesome. Aiden didn't cry once until the shots (of course). She sang to him during the exam. She answered my questions about food. She basically said I can feed him anything with a very few exceptions. She was very excited about the avocado b/c of its high iron and fat content.
- I was trying to change a plane ticket last night. I followed United phone prompts and got placed on hold for the agent.....for an hour and a half when i finally called the number again, skipped telling the computer anything, got straight to an agent who took care of my change in 5 minutes. Lesson learned: never talk to the computer.
- As i was visiting Rachel's kitties this morning, her elevator refused to open at any floor but the first one. Thankfully there is a second elevator, so i sent the first one to the top level and got the second on to open and got to the 4 floor safety. I am really scared about being trapped in a elevator period, must less with a random talkative lady, pepper, and my child. I did learn all about this lady moving because the rent was too high. Well, duh, as it is in lakeview and it very close to the lake - like 0.5 blocks. Random lady is moving to Oak Park. The more you know....
- in an update about my parking ticket, the second one did get excused! Yay for some parking fairness. Though chicago just raised their sales tax to the highest in the country! 10.5% It is really making me think about ordering everything online.
- Pete and J are coming to Atlanta! Thursday, March 13th at Eddie's Attich in Decatur, GA. www.eddiesattic.com. 9pm. $10 in advance. you should go! well, if you live in atlanta, which SOME of you do. Eddie's Attic is a cool venue. I saw the Jennifer Nettles Band there in college. She is (or at least was) married to the owner of the place. I love her in that band. I am not too crazy about her new country band, but she did "make it big".
Posted by christina at 3:00 PM | Comments (0)
March 1, 2008
tears
Today our friend's (Jenny) sister died.
Hayley was 32. She had lymphoma. She had pain in her hip for a while before she could convince the doctors that she just wasn't sore. They preformed an x-ray and found a tumor the summer before this past one. They thought it was curable. They assured her it was curable. She fought it that summer and won. She won so quickly that they didn't do all the chemo treatments they had planned.
Her little girl arrived from China.
The cancer came back. It was a roller coaster of good news and bad news. She moved close to the Mayo Clinic. She received a stem cell transplant (hers). It worked, and then it did not. She moved to MD Anderson in Houston. She got pneumonia. She beat pneumonia. She got an infection. She beat the infection. They tried some things, and the cancer went away. The nurses threw her a party. They planned a bone marrow transplant for mid-march. On Wednesday everything changed. Friends and family rushed down knowing that this was the end of a long struggle, surprised because things had been looking up.
Cancer sucks.
I've never lost someone. It sucks just to experience it this removed. I cannot imagine how much it sucks to be in the mist of it. And even though I only knew her through knowing her delightful sister, my heart hurts for the lost of a sister, a mother, a friend:
Posted by christina at 7:36 PM | Comments (2)